The Gardman fire continues to burn

Dramatic aerial images of Gardman’s Daventry warehouse show the extent of the fire which continues to burn. The company hopes to have information about new premises by the end of the week. Read more - members only

Fire at Gardman - first statement - updated

BBC are reporting a large blaze overnight at Gardman’s Daventry warehouse. In an initial statement the company says it currently has no access to the site and will provide further updates during the day. Read more - members only

Hillview revenues grow by 43%

There has been rapid growth at Hillview Garden Centres, both like-for-like and from acquisitions in the last 12 months, having shown little growth in the 2016/7 results recently filed. Read more - members only

Shipley Garden Centre

Gardman’s Mark Portman takes over at Scotts UK

CEO Karl Kahofer has named Mark Portman as General Manager of Scotts (UK), filling the role Sheila Hill vacated in February. Portman has been group sales director at Gardman since last October. Read more - members only

Mark Portman

Sheila Hill leaves Scotts

An announcement is expected shortly that Sheila Hill has left The Scotts Company (UK). Also imminent is an announcement about the future of Roundup. Read more - members only

Latest results from Haskins, Squire’s, Decco, Premier, Stax…

Brexit hits Premier profits, rapid growth at Goulds (Dorchester) and Kelkay are some of the latest results to be published on Gardenforum’s company results. Read more - members only

Squire’s re-opens Woking after re-development

A transformed Squire’s garden centre at Woking has re-opened this weekend, prior to its official opening on March 17th. Read more - members only

Reigate Garden Centre to shut up shop

Reigate GC in Surrey is to close later this year after the Tiley family, who have run the business for 35 years, announced they had sold the site to a housing developer earlier this month. Read more - members only

Klondyke plans to close Sycamore Park as 3 more centres are set for re-development

Klondyke is to close Sycamore Park Garden Centre if planning permission for housing is granted.  Moreton Hall is due to re-open partially, shortly, with other developments to follow. Read more - members only

Sycamore Park is number 18 on the Klondyke estate map

Dobbies insists Marshall is still their chief executive

What is happening at Dobbies? Nicholas Marshall is no longer running operations, yet the company insists he is still chief executive. There is a new COO, a new head of purchasing and a new retail director. Gardenforum investigates. Read more - members only

How was it after 2 days of Glee at the Spring Fair?

It is too early to judge whether the new Glee at the Spring Fair will become an annual event. Gardenforum believes it has potential, with a change of name and focus. Read our notes from the aisles. Read more - members only

 Andrea and Tony Barnett, whose Potty Feet were named best new product

Gardman tackles output problems at Daventry

Gardman have taken steps to improve output from its new £30m Daventry distribution centre. Read more - members only

Bents colleagues happy with their lot

Figures released from Bents Garden & Home’s latest colleague survey show a high degree of satisfaction among the staff. Read more - members only

Squires to close Windsor centre

The 15-strong Squire's Garden Centres group is to lose one of its outlets when Windsor closes later this year.

Read more - members only

Fairways, Bents and Smart Garden take GCA’s top awards

Bents has pipped Barton Grange and Webbs of Wychbold to be the GCA Destination Garden Centre of the Year. Smart Garden has regained the prestigious Supplier of the Year cup. Read more - members only

Garden Centre of the Year - Fairways Garden Centre, Ashbourne

Gardman fire - was it arson?

The BBC reports that a man has been arrested on suspicion of arson as smoke continues to rise from the new Gardman warehouse in Daventry following a massive fire last night. Read more - members only

Administration for Countrywide Farmers

Countrywide Farmers, with 48 stores, has gone into administration after a potential sale is referred to the Competition and Markets Authority.  Read more - members only

Pennells acquire their third garden centre

Pennells Garden Centres have acquired the Four Seasons Garden Centre at Sleaford in Lincolnshire as of March 1st 2018. Read more - members only

Pennells at Cleethorpes

WGC gets ready for spring

The Wyevale management is focussed on standards, better communication with the shop floor and training as head office restructuring is almost complete. Read more - members only

Paul Emslie shows the recently released garden trends report

Ascential puts its exhibitions up for sale

Ascential, the owner of Glee, Pure, Spring & Autumn Fair trade shows has announced a strategic review of its exhibitions business. Read more - members only

Wyevale identifies 2018 gardening trends

Wyevale, the country’s largest specialist garden centre group with 147 stores, has published a report on the latest gardening trends revealed by a survey of 15,000 garden lovers. Read more - members only

Gardman says service levels will be restored before Easter

Gardman has apologised to customers for the disruption to deliveries and is working night and day to resolve teething problems at its new warehouse. Read more - members only

Daventry

Kelkay has been sold to Griffon Corporation

Kelkay has been acquired by Griffon Corp for $56m. Anthony Harker will become MD of Griffon’s AMES UK, which also acquired La Hacienda last July. Read more - members only

Anthony Harker recently with Bob Hewitt

QD Group buys The Barn in Peterborough

QD Group has added The Barn Garden & Aquatic Centre in Peterborough to its Cherry Lane Garden Centres group and will carry out improvements. Read more - members only

After a promising start 2017 lost its sparkle in the snow

After a strong March and April, growth all but evaporated, according to the latest GCA figures for 2017, especially in larger garden centres despite healthy plant sales. Growth in catering revenues slowed but remained positive. Read more - members only

Homebase acquisition well below expectations with massive loss forecast

As a result of below-expectation trading Bunnings United Kingdom and Ireland (BUKI), the owner of Homebase, is expected to report an underlying loss of £97million before interest and tax in Westfarmers’ 2018 half-year results.

Read more - members only

Caulders gets go ahead for sixth centre

Caulders has received planning permission to redevelop a redundant nursery at Menstrie. Read more - members only

Blue Diamond sales flat in second half of 2017

In a trading update Blue Diamond said although the group traded well and delivered growth in 2107, the sales increase had been lower than in previous years and the first half of 2017. Read more - members only

Blue Diamond's flagship store at Redfields.

Blue Diamond warns that retail generally is weakening

Blue Diamond reports a strong 6 months to June 2017, but cautions that future growth rates may be affected by economic and political uncertainty. Read more - members only

Simon Burke

Bents and Cowells take the top GCA plant awards

Bents and Cowells top the first day’s awards at the 2018 GCA conference. Also prominent were Fairways of Ashbourne, Stratford and Barton Grange Garden Centres. Read more - members only

Ruxley Rose (Destination Garden Centre category) – Bents Garden & Home

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